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Jerry Lewis (born on March 16, 1926,
according to most sources, as Joseph Levitch, though Shawn Levy's
biography, "King of Comedy", claims this is untrue and that Lewis' name
at birth was Jerome Levitch), is an American comedian, actor, film
producer, writer and director known for his slapstick humor and his
charity fund-raising telethons for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Lewis was originally paired up in 1946 with
Dean Martin, and formed the comedy team of Martin and Lewis. Aside from
popular nightclub work, they starred in an extremely successful series
of comedy films for Paramount Pictures. The team broke up ten years
later (to the day) on reportedly bad terms.
****
Birth name Joseph (or Jerome) Levitch
Born March 16, 1926 (age 80)
Other name(s) Jerry Lewis
Official site www.jerrylewiscomedy.com
Notable roles Stanley
in The Bellboy (1960)
Professor Julius Kelp &
Buddy Love
in The Nutty Professor (1963)
Jerry Langford
in The King of Comedy (1983
****
Career
Lewis was born in Newark, New Jersey, to a
Jewish American family. His father was a vaudeville performer. He began
in burlesque in 1942 at age 16 (if the birth year of 1926 is correct)
and married two years later in 1944 at age 18. He gained initial fame
with singer Dean Martin, who served as a straight man to Lewis's manic,
zany antics as the Martin and Lewis comedy team. They distinguished
themselves from the majority of comedy acts of the 1940s by relying on
the interaction of the two comics instead of pre-planned skits. In the
late 1940s, they quickly rose to national prominence, first with their
popular nightclub act and then as film stars. Critics often found it
difficult to describe their chaotic act beyond the laconic "Martin sings
and Lewis clowns". They continued to perform in film and on television
until their partnership ended in 1956. Following their split, the two
became involved in a well-publicized and long-running feud that never
truly ended; the next time they were seen together in public would be a
surprise appearance by Martin on Lewis's telethon in 1976, arranged by
Frank Sinatra. Lewis wrote of his kinship with Martin in the 2005 book
Dean and Me (A Love Story). When Sinatra tried to bring Lewis back to
Martin, Lewis was quoted as saying, "I'll never work with that drunk
ever again". Although the pair eventually reconciled in the late-1980s
after Martin's son died, there was never any reunion.
Lewis returned as a solo act with his debut
film The Delicate Delinquent in 1957. Teaming with director Frank
Tashlin, whose background as a Looney Tunes director suited Lewis's
brand of humor, he starred in five more films, and even appeared
uncredited as Itchy McRabbitt in Li'l Abner (1959) before he produced,
directed, co-wrote with Bill Richmond, and starred in his own movie
entitled The Bellboy in 1960. Using the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami as
his setting, on a small budget, a very tight shooting schedule and no
script, Lewis shot the film by day and performed at the hotel in the
evenings. During production, Lewis developed the technique of using
video cameras and multiple closed circuit monitors to allow him to view
scenes at the same time as he was filming them. This allowed him to
review his performance instantly. Later, he incorporated videotape, and
as more portable and affordable equipment became available, this
technique would become an industry standard known as video assist.
Lewis directed several more films which he
co-wrote with Richmond including The Ladies Man, The Errand Boy, and the
iconic film, The Nutty Professor. During this period he was consistently
praised by some highbrow French critics in the influential Cahiers du
Cinéma for his absurd comedy, in part because he had gained respect as
an auteur who had total control over all aspects of his films,
comparable to Howard Hawks and Alfred Hitchcock. In March 2006 the
French Minister of Culture awarded Lewis the 'Legion of Honor' calling
him the 'French people's favorite clown.' [1] Liking Jerry Lewis has
long been a common stereotype about the French in the minds of many
Americans, and is often the object of jokes in U.S. pop culture.
Lewis's box office appeal waned by the
mid-1960s. In 1966, he began hosting an annual Labor Day Telethon for
the Muscular Dystrophy Association, a charity with which he had been
publicly associated since 1950. He remained popular in Europe until the
1980s. Later, Lewis starred in and directed the unreleased The Day The
Clown Cried in 1972. The film was a drama set in a Nazi concentration
camp. Lewis has explained why the film has not been released by
suggesting litigation over post-production financial difficulties. More
importantly, however, he recently admitted during his book tour for Dean
and Me that a major factor for the film's burial is that he is not proud
of the effort. Very few select individuals have seen it, but those who
have reportedly seen it (all unconfirmed), decry it as the utmost in bad
taste (as Spy Magazine did in 1992). [see "Jerry Goes To Death Camp"
http://www.subcin.com/clownspy.html]
After an eight-year absence from movies,
Lewis returned in the early 1980s with Hardly Working, a film he both
directed and starred in. Despite being panned by the critics, the film
did eventually earn $50 million. He followed this up with a critically
acclaimed performance in Martin Scorsese's 1983 film The King of Comedy
in which Lewis plays a late night TV host plagued by obsessive fans
(played by Robert de Niro and Sandra Bernhard). Ironically, the role had
been offered to, and turned down by, Dean Martin. Lewis continued doing
interesting work in small films in the 1990s, most notably his
supporting role in the dark comedy Funny Bones (1995), and also in
Arizona Dream (1992).
Jerry and his popular movie characters were
animated in the cartoon series "Will The Real Jerry Lewis Please Sit
Down?" which premiered on ABC in 1970 and then ended in 1972. The show
was produced at Filmation Studios, and starred David Lander (later of
Laverne and Shirley fame) as the voice of the animated Jerry Lewis
character. Lewis was the show's partner.
Lewis suffered a minor heart attack on June
11, 2006 at the end of a cross-country commercial airline flight en
route home from New York City. [2] It was later found that he also had
pneumonia. While it meant cancelling several major events for Lewis, he
recuperated in a matter of weeks. Lewis currently resides in Las Vegas,
Nevada.
Charitable work
Lewis has organized a Labor Day telethon to
help raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) since
1966. His efforts have helped raise approximately US$2 billion. [3]
Lewis is one of few fundraisers who brings in more than is actually
pledged. This is because many donors as they write a check add extra
money to help "Jerry's Kids" given his generosity and no-pressure
appeal. [citation needed] In 1977, he was nominated for a Nobel Peace
Prize and in 1985, he received a US Department of Defense Medal for
Distinguished Public Service. In September 2005 Lewis was slated to
receive the Governor's Award from the Academy of Television Arts and
Sciences, honoring his long-running telethons.
The telethons are typically star-studded:
among Lewis's co-hosts through the years were Ed McMahon and Casey
Kasem. A frequent performer in the 1970s and 1980s was the late Frank
Sinatra, who famously surprised Lewis by reuniting him with Dean Martin
on the telethon in 1976.
On his 40th Labor Day telethon in 2005,
Lewis added Salvation Army fundraising (for Hurricane Katrina) to his
usual MDA fundraising, though he also encouraged viewers to give to the
American Red Cross. He has also hosted the 1987 and 1991 editions of the
French Muscular Dystrophy Téléthon, where he is known for his work
against this disease.
Criticisms
The MDA and Jerry Lewis have been
criticized by some disability rights activists for portraying disabled
people as "pitiable victims who want and need nothing more than a big
charity to take care of or cure them." [4] Critics argue that focusing
the public's attention on medical cures to "normalize" disabled people
fails to address issues like providing accessible buildings,
transportation, employment opportunities and other civil rights.[5]
Lewis has also made some remarks that have been regarded as insensitive
towards the disabled:
In 1990, he wrote a first-person essay
entitled "If I Had Muscular Dystrophy" for Parade, in which he
characterized those with muscular dystrophy as "being half a person."
[6] Many in the disabled community viewed his remarks as prejudicial,
contributing to the idea that disabled people are "childlike, helpless,
hopeless, non-functioning and noncontributing members of society." [7]
On May 20, 2001, he responded to his
critics in an interview on CBS News Sunday Morning: "If you don't want
to be pitied for being a cripple in a wheelchair, don't come out of the
house." Again, disability rights activists criticized his remarks.
[8][9] Ten days later, on June 1, 2001, Lewis issued an apology in
conjunction with a statement from the MDA.[10][11]
Trivia
Jerry Lewis has won many prestigious
Lifetime Achievement Awards from The American Comedy Awards, The Golden
Camera, Los Angeles Film Critics Association, The Venice Film Festival
and he has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Lewis has battled prostate cancer, diabetes
and pulmonary fibrosis. Medical treatment for the fibrosis in the early
2000s caused the comedian to experience weight gain and bloating that
noticeably changed his appearance.
Lewis has suffered years of back pain due
to a failed slapstick stunt that almost left him paralyzed. An
electronic device developed by Medtronic recently implanted in his back
has helped reduce the discomfort. He is now one of Medtronic's leading
spokesmen.
Lewis tried his hand at singing in the
1950s, having a chart hit with the song "Rock-A-Bye Your Baby with a
Dixie Melody" (a song originated by Al Jolson and popularized by Judy
Garland) as well as the song, "It All Depends On You" in 1958.
The Simpsons' voice actor Hank Azaria based
the voice of Professor Frink on Lewis' Nutty Professor character Julius
Kelp. Lewis was eventually invited to guest as Frink's father.
The Animaniacs character of "Mr. Director"
is inspired by Lewis
In 1984, he was nominated for the Golden
Raspberry for Worst Actor for his role in Slapstick of Another Kind.
Lewis is the father of 1960s pop musician
Gary Lewis, who had several hits during the mid-1960s with his group
Gary Lewis and the Playboys.
He has been roasted by The Friars Club on
three separate occasions, and now holds the position of abbot.
In a radio interview associated with his
2005 book, he said that his IQ has been measured at 169.[citation
needed]
Had a very public extramarital affair with
actress Gloria DeHaven in the late 1940s, as described in Dean and Me: A
Love Story. DeHaven was also married at the time.
Filmography
Year Movie Role With Dean Martin Notes
1949 My Friend Irma Seymour Yes Film Debut
1950 My Friend Irma Goes West Seymour Yes
1950 At War With The Army PFC Alvin Korwin
Yes
1951 That's My Boy 'Junior' Jackson Yes
1952 Sailor Beware Melvin Jones Yes
1952 Jumping Jacks Hap Smith Yes
1952 Road to Bali 'Woman' in Lala's Dream
Yes Cameo
1953 The Stooge Theodore Rogers Yes
1953 Scared Stiff Myron Mertz Yes
1953 The Caddy Harvey Miller, Jr. Yes
1953 Money From Home Virgil Yokum Yes
Filmed in 3-D
1954 Living It Up Homer Flagg Yes
1954 3 Ring Circus Jerome F. Hotchkiss Yes
Re-released in 1978 as 'Jerrico The Wonder Clown'
1955 You're Never Too Young Wilbur Hoolick
Yes
1955 Artists and Models Eugene Fullstack
Yes
1956 Pardners Wade Kingsley Sr/Wade
Kingsley Jr. Yes
1956 Hollywood Or Bust Malcolm Smith Yes
1957 The Delicate Delinquent Sidney L.
Pythias No
1957 The Sad Sack Private Meredith Bixby
No
1958 Rock-A-Bye Baby Clayton Poole No
1958 The Geisha Boy Gilbert Wooley No
1959 Don't Give Up The Ship John Paul
Steckler I, IV, and VII No
1959 Li'l Abner Itchy McRabbit No Cameo
1960 Visit to a Small Planet Kreton No
1960 The Bellboy Stanley/Himself No Also
directed
1960 Cinderfella Cinderfella No
1961 The Ladies Man Herbert H. Heebert/Mama
Heebert No Also directed
1961 The Errand Boy Morty S. Tashman No
Also directed
1962 It's Only Money Lester Marsh No
1963 The Nutty Professor Professor Julius
Kelp/Buddy Love/Baby Kelp No Also directed
1963 It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World Man
Who Runs Over Hat No Cameo
1963 Who's Minding the Store? Norman
Phiffier No
1964 The Patsy Stanley Belt/Singers of the
Trio No Also directed
1964 The Disorderly Orderly Jerome
Littlefield No
1965 The Family Jewels Willard
Woodward/James Peyton/Everett Peyton/Julius Peyton/Capt. Eddie
Peyton/Skylock Peyton/'Bugs' Peyton No Also directed
1965 Boeing Boeing Robert Reed No
1966 Three On A Couch Christopher
Pride/Warren/Raintree Ringo/Rutherford/Heather No Also directed
1966 Way...Way Out Pete Mattermore No
1967 The Big Mouth Gerald Clamson/Syd
Valentine No Also directed
1968 Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the
River George Lester No
1969 Hook, Line & Sinker Peter
Ingersoll/Fred Dobbs No
1970 One More Time Offscreen voice of the
bandleader No Also directed
1970 Which Way to the Front? Brendon Byers
III No Also directed
1981 Hardly Working Bo Hooper No Also
directed. Released in Europe in 1980
1983 The King of Comedy Jerry Langford No
Filmed in 1981
1983 Cracking Up Warren Nefron/Dr. Perks No
Also directed. Released direct to cable/video. Theatrical release in
1985 as 'Smorgasbord'
1984 Slapstick (Of Another Kind) Wilbur
Swain/Caleb Swain No Released in Europe in 1982
1984 Retenez Moi...Ou Je Fais Un Malheur
Jerry Logan No French Release. Never Released in the US. Tentetive US
Titles were To Catch a Cop and The Defective Detective
1984 Par Où T'es Rentré? On T'a Pas Vu
Sortir Clovis Blaireau No French Release. Never Released in the US.
Tentative US Title was How Did You Get In? We Didn't See You Leave
1987 Fight For Life Dr. Bernard Abrams No
ABC Television Movie
1989 Cookie Arnold Ross No
1992 Mr. Saturday Night Guest No Cameo
1994 Arizona Dream Leo Sweetie No Filmed in
1991. Released in Europe in 1993.
1995 Funny Bones George Fawkes No
Unreleased The Day the Clown Cried Helmut
Doork No Filmed in 1971/1972
Miscellaneous filmography
Screen Snapshots: Thirtieth Anniversary
Special (1950) (short subject)
My Friend Irma Goes West Trailer (1950)
(special scenes filmed for the promotional trailer)
Sailor Beware Trailer (1951) (special
scenes filmed for the promotional trailer)
Scared Stiff Trailer (1953) (special scenes
filmed for the promotional trailer)
Living It Up Trailer (1954) (special scenes
filmed for the promotional trailer)
The Bellboy Trailer (1960) (special scenes
filmed for the promotional trailer)
Raymie (1960) (Sings the Title Song Only)
The Nutty Professor Trailer (1964) (special
scenes filmed for the promotional trailer)
The Disorderly Orderly Trailer (1964)
(special scenes filmed for the promotional trailer)
Man in Motion (1966) (Production Trailer
for Three On A Couch)
Boy (an 8 minute short from the compilation
film How Are the Kids?) (1990) (Writer & Director only)
The Making of Mr. Saturday Night (1992)
(Documentary for Mr. Saturday Night)
Miscellaneous Television Appearances
The Colgate Comedy Hour (1950s) Martin and
Lewis hosted on numerous occasions
The Jerry Lewis Show (1957)
The Jazz Singer (October 13, 1959)
The Jerry Lewis Show (1963) (13 episodes
aired)
Ben Casey (1964) (TV Episode, "A Little Fun
to Match the Sorrow" as 'Doctor Greene')
Batman (April 1966) (TV episode, "The
Bookworm Turns")
Sheriff Who, (1966) (NBC TV Pilot)
Jerry Lewis Show (1967-1969)
Run for Your Life (TV episode, "Down with
Willie Hatch")
Rascal Dazzle (1980) (HBO documentary on
the Little Rascals; narrator only)
The Jerry Lewis Show (1984) (5 episodes
aired)
Wiseguy (1988) (TV series, four episodes
'Garment Trade Arc')
Mad About You (1993) (TV episode, "The
Billionaire")
The Simpsons (2003) (TV episode, "Treehouse
of Horror XIV" as Professor John Frink Sr.)
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2006)
(TV episode, "Uncle")
****
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